Faq About Surrogacy in Georgia/Armenia

FAQ about Surrogacy in Georgia/Armenia

1. Who is eligible for surrogacy in Georgia/Armenia?
   Heterosexual married.
2. Is commercial surrogacy legal in Georgia/Armenia?-
   Yes, commercial surrogacy is legal and fully regulated by Georgian/Armenian law.
3. Do I have legal representation through the whole process?
   Yes, you will have legal representation from the very beginning, until you receive the birth certificate for your baby and travel document for your child.
4. Do I have to meet any prerequisites to be accepted to the program?
   Yes, you and your partner must provide us with:
   1. Marriage certificate
   2. Сonfirmation of medical indications for surrogacy & medical documentation
5. Where should I stay on my first visit?
   3 days stay in a comfortable apartment which is located near an IVF clinic is included. This makes the process smooth and efficient.
6. Am I able to ship sperm or embryos at the beginning of the program and sign my contract remotely?
   You may ship your biological material, but an initial visit for signing a contract is a prerequisite of the program, but it can be as short as 2 working days. Sometimes exceptions take place, it depends on your case
7. What testing is conducted on egg donors?
   Egg Donors undergo the following screening and analysis
   
   1. Conclusion/confirmation of the therapist on the state of somatic health
   2. Psychiatrist’s mental health report
   3. Determination of blood group and Rh factor
   4. Clinical blood test
   5. Coagulogram
   6. Blood tests for syphilis (RW), HIV, hepatitis B and C (valid for 3 months)
   7. Blood tests (IgM, IgG) for toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, cytomegalovirus and rubella (valid for 1 year)
   8. Bacterioscopic analysis of secretions from three points (vagina, urethra and cervical canal)
   9. Cytological examination of smears from the cervix
   10. General gynecological examination
   11. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs
   12. Electrocardiogram (valid for 1 year)
   13. Blood test for Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), prolactin (PRL), follitropin (FSH), lutropin (LH), progesterone (P), estradiol (E2)
   14. Colposcopy

    

8. What are the requirements for an Egg donor?
   A potential egg donor should be:
   
   • Between the ages of 18 and 30
   • Physically healthy
   • Mental healthy
   • No criminal record
   • Has regular, monthly menstrual periods
   • Has both ovaries
   • No bad habits
   • No family history of inheritable genetic disorders
   • Dependable, mature and reliable

    

9. What testing is conducted on surrogate mothers?
   Surrogates undergo similar screenings to egg donors and additional uterine cavity evaluation before embryo transfer.
10.  What are the requirements for a Surrogate mother?
    • Between 18-38 years old
    • Physically healthy
    • Mental healthy
    • No criminal record
    • Has a healthy child
    • Her pregnancy and childbirth were without complications
      

     

    • Rh positive
    • No bad habits
    • Lack of genetic diseases that can affect the course of pregnancy
    • With a stable, responsible lifestyle
11.   How can we be sure that our surrogate is taking proper care of herself and the baby?
    A Surrogate mother is provided with a professional coordinator who will help her and support her at all stages of the program. A coordinator accompanies a Surrogate mother to all necessary check ups, provides the Intended parents with all medical reports translated to English. The coordinator is available for Surrogate mother 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
12. . Do we communicate with our surrogate throughout the process?
    We can organize 1 video call in each trimester with a member of our team so you can build a close bond.
13.   If a husband from an Intended couple is HIV+, is surrogacy possible in this case?
    Yes, we can perform sperm washing. Additional costs will apply.
14.   We are interested in twins. Can we implant 2 embryos?
    Twins are by nature high risk pregnancies. In the best interest of the safety of surrogate mothers and children our medical team recommends to implant only 1 embryo. It could be discussed of course.
15.  What are the success rates?
    Our IVF clinics have surrogacy success rates of about 80 %. We examine all embryos (IVF with PGD/NGS) and only a healthy embryo will be transferred to the uterus of a Surrogate mother.Give Me Life makes careful medical selection of women who could become Surrogates. We put all our effort into the process to make the process as smooth as possible for our surrogates and Intended parents.
16.   What happens if we have a failed attempt?
    If there are additional frozen embryos for transfer, a new transfer could be conducted within 1 month. If there are no more embryos, an additional cycle will need to be conducted in order to cultivate more embryos.
17.   What prenatal monitoring is conducted during the pregnancy?
    A beta HCG test is conducted approximately 2 weeks after embryo implantation. If the test is positive, a second test is conducted 48-72 hours later to track hormone levels. From there, a confirmatory ultrasound is conducted at approximately week 7 of gestation. The latest non-invasive prenatal testing is then conducted at week 10 to check for chromosomal issues with the fetus and can also tell the gender of your baby very early in the pregnancy. Ultrasounds will then be conducted monthly throughout the pregnancy.
18.   Where will the birth take place?
    All births will take place in a maternity hospital unless with the NICU department in Armenia.
19.   Who will be represented on the birth certificate?
    Under Armenian law, the surrogate mother is not considered as a mother of the baby; only Intended Parents have full legal parental rights over a baby and their names will be in the birth certificate. No matter if you used an egg donor or not, the wife’s and husband’s name will be stated in the birth certificate.
20.   How long does it take to get the birth certificate?
    Usually, it can be acquired in 7 days after child birth.
21.   What is the detailed post-birth process?
    1. Baby is born
    2. Baby is released from hospital with Intended parent(s)
    3. A DNA test through a local accredited lab is undertaken to show no genetic relationship with the surrogate mother and a genetic relationship to the intended parent(s) – extra cost applies
    4. The birth certificate is received
    5. Applying for a travel document in the Embassy
22.   What is the average time for the exit process after birth?
    The average time in Armenia for the exit process is 3–4 weeks and will depend on the country of citizenship of Intended parents.
23.   Does a surrogate have any parental rights to my baby?
    No, under Georgian/Armenian law the surrogate doesn’t have any parental rights in relation to your baby. She doesn’t have any genetic link to the baby and she isn’t considered as a mother even if she delivered the baby. The Intended Mother is the only legal mother of the baby even if donor eggs were used.
24.   Can a surrogate keep my baby?
    No, she can’t. Under Georgian/Armenian law Surrogate is not considered as a mother of a child, therefore she has no legal or parental rights over the baby. Also in a surrogacy arrangement signed between the Intended parents and a Surrogate is stated and the Surrogate mother confirms that she doesn’t have any rights for the child.

Surrogacy FAQ- How to get started?

Here is a step-by-step guide to Surrogacy Program.

1. Contact us and let us know what your specific requirement-
   As soon as we hear from you and understand your exact requirement, we will suggest the program most suitable to you depending upon your marital status, your citizenship, single or married, what type of egg donor you need, or what is your financial limitations. We will request you to provide as much information as possible such as your age, marital status, medical complications, if any, citizenship, etc. This will help us to understand and get back to you with specific detail about your program. We will be sharing with you general information about your program and price list with a breakdown of cost, and legal process, etc. If you agree to proceed, we will be assisting you further.
2. Selecting an Egg Donor/Surrogate Mother
   In case you need only IVF-ICSI or IVF with egg donation program we will provide you process details, pricing and introduce you to our partner’s IVF Clinics. We will give you access to the donor database and choose the donor of your choice. In case you need surrogacy services, we will further assist you with surrogate profiles and will help you in egg donor and surrogate matching.
3. Screening Tests
   We will provide you a list of tests to confirm your eligibility, medically. You can do these tests in your city, and can send a scan copy for review of fertility specialists. Please note that in case, you are using an egg donor and surrogate mother, only male partners need to do Pre- IVF tests. If you are self-cycling, then both partners will be asked to complete tests as provided by us. These may include hormone level tests for self-cycles, scans for ED IVF cycles, blood types, infectious disease screens, and semen analysis.
4. Sign Contracts
   One of the essential requirements for the surrogacy program is to complete paperwork to ensure your rights and surrogate rights are protected. To save time and money, the agency/lawyer can make your specific Surrogacy Contract and email/fax/courier for your signature. Once reviewed and signed, you can bring a signed copy with you while traveling for the IVF cycle. Please note that in case you are using an egg donor, you also need to sign a separate Egg Donor Contract. You can also send a signed copy via email as well.
5. First payment
   Once contracts are signed, the Intended Parents are required to make the first payment as per your specific price list. It is advised to discuss price and cost break down in advance with your case manager.
6. Preparation and synchronization
   As soon as we receive the first payment, tests, and preparation/synchronization of your cycle with donor or that of your egg donor with the surrogate begin. Generally, it takes 6 weeks to complete synchronization and start the stimulation protocol. If you are self-cycling, then you will receive clear instructions to start fertility medication and an elaborated the schedule will be provided to you before coming for egg pick up.
7. IVF and Pregnancy Test
   Once you visit a surrogacy country, you will be meeting the local team, doctor, the donor (if egg donation is not anonymous), and surrogate. IVF the specialist will discuss your IVF Cycle details with you along with the date of egg pick up and fertilizations. IVF is done and embryos are implanted in your surrogate mother’s uterus, she will be kept on luteal support for 2 weeks. A blood test is done after 2 weeks to confirm pregnancy. Once pregnancy confirmed and the gestational sac and heartbeat are seen, you will be getting regular updates of your surrogate health progress.
8. Surrogate Pregnancy Care
   Throughout her pregnancy, the surrogate is closely monitored by a local coordinator and medical team. If required, the surrogate can be kept in surrogate housing. Her routine blood tests and scans, check-ups will be shared with you. If you wish, you can also have a skype meeting with a surrogate mother. The Surrogate receives monthly compensation and the doctor closely monitors her progress in the coming months.
9. Baby Birth
   The estimated date of delivery is discussed with you so that you are present at the time of delivery. In case the surrogate goes into premature labor pain, you will be notified, and if Cesarean is necessary, it will be discussed with you. Once the baby is born, the baby birth certificate is given, which will further initiate the process of applying for a baby passport and subsequent baby exit.
10. . Baby Exit Process
    Once you receive a baby birth certificate, our surrogacy lawyer will be guiding and assisting you with documents for baby citizenship. Most countries do ask for DNA Tests for citizenship, in this case, you can pre-order the DNA kit before baby birth. Once citizenship gained, you can apply for a baby passport and exit visa. The exit process for baby varies from country to country and also depends on how quickly your local embassy processes the case/staff availability. Our local team will be assisting you during your stay and will be helping you with your country-specific protocol.